All Things Pinawa

Informative Evening Event Well Attended...

by Nancy Bremner Pinawa CDO, Volunteer And Resident Of Pinawa

On October 14th "All Things Pinawa" Informational Evening took place in the Pinawa Community Centre. It was an evening with guests from many organizations and Information Pods for attendees to browse through. There was also an abundance of food and drink to encourage people to stay and chat. With a very extensive agenda the crowd of more than 100 settled in to hear from the invited speakers:

Mayor Blair Skinner welcomed everybody and then briefly described the background for Pinawa's designation of Age Friendly. The Mayor was also the Emcee for the evening and introduced the guest speakers before their presentations.

Mariam Omar MB Seniors and Healthy Living Secretariat spoke about the origins of the Age Friendly concept and also spoke about our pilot Manitoba communities.

"A Port in the Storm” Initiative Dale Smeltz Chair of the Steering Committee who is a volunteer himself, introduced the concept of addressing the need of a safe and affordable home-like accommodations for rural and northern adult patients and family members who are required to travel to Winnipeg for treatment. (see Pinawa.com newsletter article)

Kirk Kuppers President of Jr. Women’s Hockey League spoke to the crowd about the proposed project "Pinawa Academy" which would see an increase in our school enrollment and more positive spin offs for Pinawa. (see this month's news release article Pinawa Project) . A vision of an academy dormitory would be a definite boon to the community and other organizations such as the Manitoba Science Academy would benefit from such a building.

Ironwood 55 Plus Living Complex Stu Iverson President Citizens Committee gave an overview of the complex and hoped there would be 12 Supportive Housing Units. Grace Honke Manager Senior Support Programs NEHA and Home Care Case Coordinator Bridgett Budgell informed the audience what supportive housing was and how there was a need for the prospective tenant to be panelled. Bridgett Budgell was there to answer questions about that process.

Trillium Ridge Backer Real Estate Investments Rick Backer explained about the uniqueness of this development - one way traffic only and the development is now open to all. Previously it was to be a 55 plus development but everyone is welcome to build in this wilderness setting. He also noted that all of the partners were born and raised in Pinawa. They are very proud to be supporting their town through this development proposal.

Corporal Tom Wallace had a brief presentation on the RCMP support for the community and that generally Pinawa was a very safe community to live in. Personally he is intending to make Pinawa his home since he loves the community because of the surroundings and it offers so much for his family.

Community Consultation Bob Derousier CEO Whiteshell School District touched on the reasons for the Community Consultation process that was done last winter and the projects that were being completed and implemented. He jestingly wondered why the Pinawa CDC would have a meeting such as this but seeing the audience he now realized there were different factions in the community that wouldn't be involved in the fall or spring registration nights. Of importance to everyone was the school sign now was announcing community events as well as school events.

Mayor Skinner briefly told the audience about how it was a surprise for the Council that the highway had gotten paved this summer. It turns out that it is all "thanks to his wife Leslie and his mother-in-law" who had taken a video of driving down #211 while it was raining and showed the deep water filled ruts to the Highways Minister. "The end result was the repaving of #211" he was happy to report. Mayor Skinner also announced the bridge on #211 would have lights installed as work would proceed on each half of the bridge in 2010 and 2011. The bridge needed a complete safety overhaul. Due to lack of time the Mayor deferred the rest of his speech and promised to have another information evening in the spring. He also extended his wishes to people to stop at the Information Pods and to have some refreshments and food.

Attendees found a varied amount of information and exhibitors ready and willing to speak to them. The following is a list of who had a table at the event and some photos as well.